A Midsummer Night's Deal - Thomas Shelby x OFC - Peaky Blinders

10.

"Mrs. Shelby?"
Mary called Leonor for the fourth time, struggling to find a way to wake her up without yelling, but it was past lunchtime and Thomas had just gotten home from one of his appointments, asking his wife's whereabouts.
"Lady Leonor?"

Leonor was awake but didn't respond to it, but her face was shielded from the sun by one of the books she grabbed from Thomas's office in Arrow House.
Her intention wasn't malicious; she didn't mean to bother Mary but was also sick of being bothered.
Especially when it was sunny outside, the sun in England was a rare luxury and reminded her of Spain.

So when the opportunity to soak up the warmth and life out of the sun came, she quickly gathered a few books, a large thick towel to spread on the ground, and some grapes to munch later on as she lay on the ground with eagerness and excitement, stroking her arms, her skin exposed thanks to the sleeveless dress she wore, the fabric thin and fresh enough for her not to soak up in a sweat.

The first few pages of the book bore her, Leonor wanted to read more in Spanish but this would have to do, so she continued, biting on a grape from time to time, pushing away the hair from her face, not even bothered by the fresh breeze that hugged her.

It was so pleasant, so peaceful, that she felt safe enough and fell asleep within the first hour, but now she feared that this peace was over.

"Lady Leonor?" Mary tried again, reaching out her hand to shake her this time but was stopped by a large shadow that cast all over her and the seemingly asleep woman.

"Get inside Mary."

Leonor nearly jolted up, her thoughts immediately on the hem of the dress she had rolled up high enough for it to reach past her knees when the sunlight became brighter.
She made a mental note to leave her silk robe nearby if she needed to quickly cover it up, but this side of the garden was just far enough for any workers or husbands to walk past.

Or at least she thought it was.

"Oh, Mr. Shelby, this is no bother." Mary insisted, losing balance but he helped her up, merely meeting her eyes and she nodded, stepping inside.

Leonor cursed herself for not getting up sooner, but sleep was a precious thing for her, especially since she was getting so little to none every night.
She waited for him to call her name, so she could finally drop the act but nothing was easy when it came to Thomas Shelby.

The only thing that came was the sour smell of the cigarettes he always carried on his lips and the feeling of sunking by her side, as he sat on the ground.
"Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde..." Thomas read the title of the book on her face, his voice as stoic as usual. "I thought those kinds of books wouldn't interest you, but you're full of surprises eh?"

She remained quiet, praying that the wind would be on her side and that her dress would at least stay still.
But before Leonor was able to finish that prayer, she shivered when the tips of his fingers touched the warm skin on her thighs, pulling the dress down, keeping his hand on her knee.

The nerve of this man, Leonor thought, but his dry almost laugh cut any trail of thinking, as the voice seemed close, too close.
"I know that you're awake."

Leonor brought her hand to the book, yanking it away, and quickly sat up, meeting his eyes.

Thomas had a new expression on his face, one she didn't remember seeing before, but didn't comment on it.